Greater Twin Cities United Way Unveils 2024 Policy and Advocacy Agenda

Housing, education, 211 among policy priorities for 2024 state legislative session

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 25, 2024) — Greater Twin Cities United Way (United Way) today unveiled its policy priorities and advocacy agenda for the 2024 Minnesota state legislative session. Informed by the input of more than 100 nonprofit partners, coalition partners, staff and other key stakeholders, the agenda focuses on policies and funding that promote safe and affordable housing, provide young people with pathways to high-wage employment, and remove barriers to individual wealth-building. New this year, United Way is also seeking funding to widen the reach and accessibility of its 211 resource helpline.

United Way’s four lead advocacy issues for the 2024 legislative session are:

• Remove barriers to safe, affordable housing, by prioritizing populations at highest risk of homelessness.
• Provide young people the tools to graduate high school in a position to enter high-wage, high-demand careers through career pathways programs and high-quality out-of-school programs.
• Remove governmental barriers to wealth-building opportunities for families and individuals to achieve economic stability.
• Secure sustainable funding for United Way’s 211 resource helpline to provide reliable access to statewide services.

“The transformative investments that were accomplished during the last legislative session are already making an impact in our communities,” said Shannon Smith Jones, Senior Vice President of Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Building on these achievements, lawmakers have a critical opportunity to meet the needs faced by our communities through the establishment of new support systems in areas like housing and education.”

United Way recently surveyed its nonprofit partners and other stakeholders to better understand community needs and what issues to support at the Capitol. This information, coupled with real-time data from United Way’s 211 resource helpline and 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, informs United Way’s policy and advocacy agenda.

“This agenda responds directly to the important issues raised by our advocacy partners and stakeholders over several months of sustained engagement,” said Susan Carter, Director of Advocacy and External Engagement at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Their perspectives have deeply informed the common-sense policy and funding shifts we will be advancing this year at the Capitol.”

Learn more about Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 2024 Policy and Advocacy Agenda.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive. The organization serves the community through five key offerings: Crisis and Information Support (211 resource helpline, 988 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline), innovation initiatives, nonprofit partnerships, advocacy work with legislators, and business and individual donor partnerships. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Sam Daub, Greater Twin Cities United Way, sam.daub@gtcuw.org, 612-340-7425